Manwell Goodspeed, Old Monk, Denizen, Pontus, The Laws

Manwell Goodspeed

Primarily focused as an indie rock trio, Manwell Goodspeed infuses the long lost raw tone of grunge with rolling melodies that captivate to generate their signature sound. Based out of Williamsburg, the band draws on the energy of the Brooklyn scene, yet the sound they deliver is neither governed nor contained by the milieu from which it arises. While Manwell maintains its own sonic identity, one may note their musical influences shining in the details; a core of solid rock vis-à-vis the Chili Peppers along with an exploratory approach to songwriting with all the boldness of The Flaming Lips. As does Nirvana, the trio produces songs that convey an emotional depth yet all the while keep it interesting and hip in the vein of Beck.

Old Monk

The two founding members of Old Monk were separated by thousands of miles when they began writing their first EP. It took years of swapping answering machine recordings and exchanging lo-fi demos over the internet to complete. The successful collaboration finally convinced drummer Ian Burns to leave his native Colorado, joining guitarist Joshua Carrafa in Brooklyn. The two dubbed their project Old Monk, and began playing around Manhattan and Brooklyn's underground venues. In need of a bassist, the two then enlisted Tsugumi Takashi and Old Monk became a trio. Joshua, Ian and Tsugumi create frenzied noisy rock and roll, built on solid pop backbones and piercing hooks. Old Monk is currently living in Brooklyn.

Denizen

Pontus

PHWG is a six-piece band (guitar, cello, violin, bass, drums, tabla and electronics) performing music composed by Pontus H.W. Gunve. The electric guitar is at the heart of Gunve’s mostly instrumental music, and he craftily combines elements of progressive rock, electronic and Western/Indian classical music. He experiments with the guitar, and often you will hear these experimentations in his pieces; bending the notes on the guitar to play like a sitar, as he does in his piece titled ‘Bengal’. Gunve intends his live shows to be a complete experience for the senses: highly energetic live music and tranquil abstract imagery woven together to scintillate the spectator’s imagination. Each musical composition has its creative place: it could be the streets of Calcutta, the financial district in Jersey City or the pristine forests in Sweden. The videos, also created by Gunve, are an important accompaniment to the music; a sort of conduit for the musical journey he’s prepared for his audience.

Watching Jean Michel Jarre’s Live in Houston show on Swedish television was a defining moment for Pontus. He continues to be inspired by the extravagant electronic music show and aspires to recreate a similar live musical experience, but on a much smaller scale. Gunve has been fine-tuning this idea for his show since the release of his first solo album, Great Wall of Sound. At first, the concept was very simple –a one-man orchestra. Gunve on guitar (and sometimes keyboard) would perform to backing tracks of his music that were synched with videos. The show (called Great Wall of Music) was performed at several venues, including bar/lounges in New York City and Jersey City and at a performance festival in Sweden (2007).

With his second album – Movements – Pontus has brought together an eclectic group of very talented musicians to perform the pieces, bringing to life his own concept of an ultimate musical experience.

The Laws

The Laws were created to share music made in the basements of New Haven over the past 3 years. Drawing from influences ranging from classic rock, prog, funk, blues and jam-rock, they deliver a familiar sound that you’ve never heard before. With a driving, high-energy live show, the Laws put a modern spin on the classic rock experience that is bound to get you moving. LISTEN